Mail box



F. P. EVANS Oct. 10, 1933.

MAIL BOX Filed July 20, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l .Z? Fyaw,

INVENTOR goA-r'romvav WITNESS:

Oct. 10, 1933. F P. EVANS 1,929,734

MAIL BO X Filed July 20, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5* I III 5- 2, E QZS,

INVENTOR Patented Oct. 10, 1933 MAIL BOX Franklin P. Evans, Cary'villeApplication July 29,

1931. Serial No. 552,01 8 i 2 Claims. (01. 232-17) My present inventionhas reference to a rural mail box and has for its primary object theprovision of a mail box of this type with a false or auxiliary bottomthat affords a rest for the mail sjmatter in the box but which issusceptible to swinging in an upward direction to arrange the same at aslight angle whereby the mail matter may be readily drawn therefrom andremoved from the box.

m A further object is the provision of an auxiliary or false bottom formail boxes, that is in the nature of a slatted member which is hingedlysecured by plates to the bottom of the box, and

which has one of its end slats projected beyond ,15 the remaining slatsand bowed or depressed to provide a latch member designed to engage withastud on the side of the box when the false bottom is swung to an upwardand to an inclined position, so that the false bottom is latched in 29such positionand the mail matter readily withdrawn therefrom.

A further object is the provision of a means in the nature of a falsebottom for facilitating the removal of mail matter from rural mail boxesthat has on its outer end a pivotally supported and gravity influencedcoin or stamp receptacle from which the coin or stamps may be readilyremoved by simply tilting the receptacle.

To the attainment of the foregoing the invention consists in theimprovement hereinafter described and definitely claimed. In thedrawings: I s Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinalsectional viewthrough a rural mail box equipped with the improvement approximately onthe line 1--1 of Figure 3.

Figure 2 is a similar sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 3 butshowing the false bottom elevated as when mail matter is to be removed.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view. Figure 4 is a sectional viewapproximately on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view approximately on the line5-5 of Figure 3. 4.5 The mail box 1 is of the usual construction and atits front is provided with the usual hinged and normally latched door 2provided with an opening for a pivotally supported shutter 3 that isopened when mail matter is to be inserted in the box, the door 2 beingopened by the mail man when the mail matter is to be removed from thebox. On the bottom 4 of the box 1 I hingedly secure spaced transverseplates 5 and 6, respec-' tively. The plate 6 is of a greater length thanthe plate 5. The plate'5 is located close to the open front of'the-box-and the plate'6 is located at a suitable distance from theclosed rear of the box. The plates 5 and 6 support thereon the falsebottom 7 of the improvement. As disclosed by the drawings the falsebottom is preferably 0 made up of spaced longitudinally extending slatsthat are provided on their under faces with clips 8 having U-shapedportions to receive there-' through pins 9 that pass through the outerand rolled edges of the plates 5 and 6, the said plates 5 being notchedat their said roller edges for the reception of the members 8.

Pivotally secured between one of the end slats and the slat adjacentthereto, as at 10, there is'a reduced end or'mouth 11 of a coin or stamp79 box 12. The coin box has a continuous upstanding flange 13 at thesides and rear end thereof and the mouth of the box is of a less widththan that of the box proper.

The second end slat of the false bottom '7 is 7 rounded or archedupwardly upon itself, as at 14, to provide a catch designed to receivetherein a lug 15 that is secured to and extends inwardly from one sideof the box 1. The outer end of this slat is formed with a lip 16 and thesaidlip may be employed for swinging the false bottom to elevatedposition but is primarily designed as a finger piece for releasing thecatch from the stud 15.

When the device is in its normal horizontal 5 position as disclosed inFigure 1 of the drawings mail matter inserted in the box 1 will bereceived thereon. When the door 2 is swung to open position the mail manmay grasp the outer pivot pin 9 and swing the false bottom to itselevated position. When in such position the rear of the i falsebottomis disposed at a. greater elevation than the front thereof so that themail can be readily slid downwardly thereover. By forming the falsebottom with slats the spaces thereof 5 provide passageways for thefingers of the mail 13 man so that all the mail will be positivelydelivered from the box. The latch automatically engages with the keeperlug 15 and the coin tray, because of its weighted rear portion and thepivotal arrangement of its mouth away from said rear portion is normallyin horizontal position but may be tilted so that the coin or stampstherein will be directed into the hand of the mail man.

It is believed the foregoing will fully and clearly set forth theconstruction and simplicity of the device to those skilled in the art sothat further detailed description will not be required. Obviously I donot wish to be restricted to the precise details herein shown anddescribed and, therefore, hold myself entitled to make such changestherefrom as fairly fall within the scope of what I claim.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. A means for facilitating the removal of mail matter from a rural mailbox, which includes a false bottom arranged in the mail box, plateshingedly secured to the bottom of the box and to the under face of thefalse bottom and one of said plates being of a greater length than theother plate, said false bottom being formed with a spring catch and afixed keeper in the box to be engaged by the catch when the falseibottomis swung in a vertical directionto an inclined position to permit ofmail matter deposited on said false bottom being moved off'of the samewhen the front cover of the mail box is matter from a horizontallyarranged mail box which has an open end and a hinged cover for closingone end of the box, said means comprising a false bottom made up oflongitudinal and transverse slats and which is disposed over the bottomof the mail box and designed to receive mail matter thereon, front andrear plates hingedly secured to the bottom of the box and to the outerface of the false bottomand the rear plate being of a greater lengththan the front plate, one of the end slats of the false bottom beingbulged to afford a keeper and having its outer end bent at an upwardangle to provide a handle, and one of the sides of the box having a studto be received in the rounded portion 'of the slat when the door of thebox is opened andthe false bottom is elevated at an angle above thebottom of the mail box.

FRANKLIN P. EVANS.

